Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chief
Executive Officer Lloyd C. Blankfein offered advice to National
Basketball Association owners on domestic and international
affairs as well as ideas on how to best run a business.

Blankfein was interviewed two days ago by CNN’s Wolf
Blitzer as part of the league’s two-day Board of Governors
meeting, which ended yesterday in New York. It was the last
board meeting under the stewardship of David Stern, who is
retiring and being replaced as commissioner by Adam Silver in
February. The next owners meeting is scheduled for April.

“I loved it,” Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the
Dallas Mavericks, said in an interview after the meeting. “He’s
exposed to a lot of ideas, another view of the world. You can
never learn enough.”

Boston Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck, who took a
leave of absence as general partner of venture capital firm
Highland Capital Partners to run the basketball team, said
owners were “all ears” when Blankfein spoke.

Grousbeck said league revenue was $2 billion when he bought
the Celtics in 2002. Revenue is $5 billion now and will grow to
$10 billion, he said without giving a timetable.

“You can learn from the chairman of Goldman Sachs,”
Grousbeck said in an interview after the meeting, declining to
offer specifics. “I learned a lot.”

U.S. Economy

That sentiment was echoed by Glen Taylor, the billionaire
owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who said he operates a
number of businesses internationally. He said Blankfein offered
his take on where the U.S. economy is now and where it’s going.

In addition, Taylor said Blankfein spoke about the
importance of investing in foreign countries, albeit cautiously.
“As much as we’re concerned about our government’s involvement
in our economy, it’s not as bad as foreign countries,” said
Taylor, founder of closely held Taylor Corp., which describes
itself as an interactive print and marketing solutions provider.
“You have to look long-term.”

This isn’t the first time that NBA owners have looked to
Wall Street for guidance. JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon
addressed owners at their meeting in 2009.

Blankfein, according to Grousbeck, told owners that he
occasionally reported to Stern when he worked as a summer
associate at the law firm Proskauer Rose LLP.